Apis-UK May 2003

EDITORIAL

SPRING
We are now well into Spring and my mates the bee eaters have returned for their summer holidays and feastings, their short soccer referee whistles resounding up and down the valley from dawn to dusk. The wild tortoises are happily munching my kitchen garden crops along with a myriad of other beasts and the praying mantises have hatched/emerged from their strange protective sacks stuck snugly under the beehives.

Young Praying mantises emerging from their protective sack. Photo by Alex Verstegen

Here in the South of Europe near Seville the hot weather of the Summer is already beginning to creep up upon us very early. Temperatures as I write are still only around 36C but are heading upwards and for the beekeepers it signals the beginning of the end of non cultivated flows in the area. The millions and millions of acres of wild flowers are loosing their lustre in non irrigated areas and the colour brown will soon predominate. I mention this because under European regulations it is just possible to conduct certified organic beekeeping in the area in which I live simply because Huelva province is large and empty with huge tracts of uncultivated land. The news (see news item below) concerning GM crops and their effects on purity is therefore a worrying thought. On the same subject, the article below on the control of Varroa using drone comb (an organic method of varroa control) looks at the science of this method and assesses the results of such a manipulation. Organics is of increasing interest and I hope that its emergence is not stifled at birth by science and technology.

Prickly Pear

Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear) flowering this month. The bees obtain both pollen and nectar from this plant. The resulting fruits are delicious but deadly to pick.

BEES IN DANGER
It seems that bees need more and more protection and indeed the International Comission for Plant Bee Relationships (ICPBR) has an important Plant Bee protection Group (see article below), and essential organisation in an increasingly hostile world. On the same theme it was very sad to read in the Daily Telegraph (may 16th) of the dramatic decline in bumble bees in the UK. One respondent in the letters section believed that this was due to an increase in the cat population. Cats are decimating the mouse population which means less nesting material for the bumble bees. Probably more likely is habitat loss and insecticide use, but it does make me wonder if ‘those in charge’ know what exactly they are doing.

UK RESEARCH INITIATIVE
Perhaps to help remedy this dismal situation, the BBKA and Rothamsted Research displayed an array of new technology designed to investigate the effects of different farmed and suburban habitats offer for bumble bees, along with offering advice on how you can help. (See news item below).

MORE FUNDS FOR RESEARCH
It is not all doom and gloom though. There has been a welcome increase in funding for bee research in the USA and an increase in funding anywhere is better than nowhere.

OYL
I have been correctly taken to task (see letters) for not remembering to tell readers how to produce the amazing ‘oyl’ mentioned in the historical note a couple of months ago, so in this edition I will remedy the situation in the ‘Historical Note’.
Recently we mentioned the invention of a new hive tool but at the time were unable to describe it due to patents considerations. Well now we have more information and this is described below in the news items.
So, we present the May 2003 edition of Apis UK. I hope that you enjoy it and remember to let us know your views on the beekeeping scene and on what we write.

David Cramp. Editor.

NEWS

NEW HIVE TOOL ANOUNCED
Monitoring of Apiaries. Designed for amateur and professional beekeepers, this remote system measurement allows the beekeeper to have continuous monitoring of the essential information to bee management.
Features: Supplies temperature and weight, by wireless transmission system. High reliability of operation.
Option: continuous measurement of humidity level, sound level and hive anti-theft alarm. Short range data collecting option (with a portable display). System is almost invisible from outside the hive, and does not disturb the bees.
System advantages: The accurate monitoring of hive conditions allows quick detection or prevention of major issues such as: bee starvation; swarming; diseased hives; trend of honey generation; theft.
The diagnostic tool allows programming of hive maintenance, more effective planning of apiary location, apiary inspection, honey and breed chambers installation, and selection of best period for honey harvest.
The continuous flow of information collected by the system, associated to the non disturbance of the bees, provide multiple benefits to the beekeepers. For more information you are welcome to visit our web-site: www.beesystem.com

BEE RESEARCH IN THE USA ATTRACTS INCREASED FUNDING
NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN USDA RESEARCH – Joseph J. Jen, the Agriculture Department’s Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, announced just 2 days ago a request for applications (RFA) for $30 million in supplemental funding under the National Research Initiative (NRI) competitive grants program. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on July 30, 2003. “Priority will be given to projects that are multi-state, multi-institutional, or multi-disciplinary; or to projects that integrate research, extension, and education. Such integrated projects hold the greatest potential to produce and transfer knowledge directly to end users,” said Jen. The complete RFA, including instructions on how to submit an application, is available at: www.reeusda.gov/nri Kim Flottum Editor, Bee Culture Magazine.

BEEKEEPERS QUARTERLY EDITOR WINS PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARD
Congratulations are in order to John Phipps, editor of the Bee Keepers Quarterly for gaining second place in the Third International Apicultural Photographic Competition. This competition organised by the beekeeping school at Azuqueca de Henares in Guadalajara province in Spain was judged earlier this month and featured a wide range of nationalities in the top 5 awards. John’s picture shown below was entitled ‘Teaching the next generation-mother and young son work together in the apiary’. (I notice that they had got John down as a Greek. Perhaps he would have got ‘nul points’ had he admitted being a Brit! Ed).

The full results can be seen on the interesting web site: www.aulaapicolazuqueca.com So well done John, and for other interested photographers, keep an eye open on the web site for future competitions. We will also announce details when we receive them.

OLIVE POLLEN HITS THE HEADLINES
Travellers to Southern Spain this Spring beware if you suffer from hayfever. The medical emergency centres and the hospitals of Jaen province where millions of olive trees are cultivated have been saturated with patients after the health authorities registered a historic high in airborne olive pollen with nearly 14000 pollen grains per cubic metre. Most of the patients were suffering respiritory problems, conjunctivitis or rinitis. It is estimated that 25% of the population of the province suffered from some kind of pollen related disorder and 70 to 80% of these are due to olive pollen.
Notes
Jaen is one of the most beautiful and undiscovered parts of Southern Spain. Few tourists have heard of it and even fewer go there.
Olive trees (Olea europaea L.) are essentially wind pollinated although bees do obtain both pollen and nectar from the tiny little flowers when there is little else to attract them.

ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH AT THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
We need bees to pollinate our wild flowers and our crops. But bees are in decline in the UK due to land use changes that are depriving them of food and nest sites. At this years Chelsea Flower Show (20-23rd May) Rothamsted Research, in association with the British Beekeepers Association had a display about new research which uses a novel combination of satellite technology, field experiments and genetics to investigate what different farmed and suburban habitats offer for bumble bees. We explained what you can do in your own garden to conserve bees and benefit from their presence. More wild bees in our gardens will increase fruit and vegetable yields, and provide berries and fruit for other wild animals, pictures available on request. Contacts; Dr Elspeth Bartlet, tel; 01582 763133 ext 2260 mobile 0794144 6592 email; ebartlet@bbsrc.ac.uk. fax; 01582 760981. Information about next years Chelsea Flower Show at www.rhs.org.uk

CREATING A BUZZ ABOUT THE BEEKEEPING BIZ
Business Link South Yorkshire is assisting the South Riding Beekeepers' Association to promote and increase the number of beekeepers producing quality local honey in the region.
A new permanent exhibit at the Earth Centre, near Doncaster, including six public demonstration beehives, and training facilities will launch this weekend. The first eight-week course 'Introduction to Beekeeping', with 14 trainees, begins on Friday 23rd May.
The project has received support from Business Link South Yorkshire's Rural Business Growth Programme (part-funded by Defra and the European Union), including a grant of £6,339.

"Beekeepers in South Yorkshire produce very high quality honey that is already sold in a number of prestigious high street outlets and country tourist attractions," said Terry Leyland, Rural Business Adviser with Business Link South Yorkshire. "This project is aimed particularly at local farmers who might be thinking about diversifying into the profession as part of their current business, as well as at the general public to raise awareness off beekeeping.

"The training offers a unique practical experience for people to learn about beekeeping and honey production."

Bill Spence, Chairman of the South Riding Beekeepers' Association (SRBA), attended a recent event at the Earth Centre hosted by Business Link South Yorkshire and Yorkshire Tourist Board to promote local produce. Local farmers, realising the benefits to pollination, have offered sites on their land for people setting up new hives.

"Without pollination one third of the food and fruits we eat would disappear," said Bill Spence, who has been keeping bees since 1946. "In the early fifties there were nearly 400,000 beekeepers in the UK. Today there are just 14,000 members of the British Beekeepers Association.

"If we want to keep eating good quality food, then we need to make sure our crops can be pollinated. With the help of Business Link South Yorkshire, we are hoping to raise the profile of beekeeping and attract some people to the profession.

"It's not just honey that can be produced and sold through keeping bees. There are a whole host of wax-based products, including polish and candles, from which beekeepers can make a living.
"We are making a good start this weekend with our training course and demonstrations. I hope more and more people will get in touch and think about beekeeping as a hobby."

Anyone interested in starting beekeeping should contact Bill Spence on 01709 854391. Members of the SRBA will be accredited for training through LANTRA (the sector skills council for farmers).

ORGANIC FARMS ENDANGERED BY GMO CROPS
SANTA CRUZ, California, May 15, 2003 (ENS) - Certified organic farmers have reported the first direct financial and operational impacts associated with the threat of contamination by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in a nationwide survey conducted by the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). One-third of the survey respondents rated the risk of exposure and possible contamination of their organic farm products by GMOs as high or very high.
National standards for organic products, implemented by the U.S. Deptartment of Agriculture last year, exclude recombinant DNA technologies from use in organic farming. There are also a variety of strict tolerances for GMO contamination imposed on organic growers by foreign and domestic buyers.

"In 1998, when OFRF conducted our previous survey, GMO contamination was not yet a national issue," said OFRF executive director Bob Scowcroft. "These new survey results based on the 2001 crop year document that significant impacts have begun to occur within a very short time frame. If this trend continues, what we're seeing now will prove to be just the tip of the iceberg."

According to OFRF president Ron Rosmann, a diversified organic farmer from Harlan, Iowa, "This new data supports OFRF's call for a moratorium on the release of GMOs until there is a solid regulatory framework that prevents genetic pollution and assigns liability for the damages imposed by GMO contamination."

The OFRF survey found that 17 percent of survey respondents have had GMO testing conducted on some portion of their organic farm seed, inputs or farm products. Eleven percent of those who had GMO testing said that they received positive test results for GMO contamination.

Eight percent of respondents indicated that their organic farm operation has borne some direct costs or damages related to the presence of GMOs in agriculture.

They may have had to pay for testing seed, inputs, or organic farm products for GMO contamination. They may have lost organic sales or markets due to actual contamination or perceived contamination risk. They have lost sales due to the presence of GMOS in organic products, and several respondents have lost organic certification due to presence of GMOs in organic products.

Forty-eight percent of those surveyed said they have taken some measures to protect their organic farms from GMO contamination. The greatest percentage, 24 percent, indicated that they have communicated with neighboring farmers about GMO risks to their farm.

Others have increased the size of buffer zones to neighboring farms, discontinued use of certain inputs at risk for GMO contamination, adjusted timing of crop planting, altered cropping patterns or crops produced, or changed cropping locations.

Only 10 percent of survey respondents believe that a regulatory framework is in place to adequately protect their organic farm products from damages due to contamination from GMOs.

The OFRF survey results will be released this week at the Organic Trade Association's All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show in Austin, Texas. The complete results of OFRF's 4th National Organic Farmers' Survey: Sustaining Organic Farms in a Changing Organic Marketplace will be published in fall 2003. Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2003 All Rights Reserved Kim Flottum Editor, Bee Culture Magazine http://www.beeculture.com/beeculture/index.html

BEES FOR DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCES ITS NEW WEBSITE OPEN
Providing an insight into our work and activities you can visit the site for all sorts of reasons:
Not yet a subscriber to our Journal? You are welcome to download a complimentary copy if you wish and then subscribe on the site. Browse through our Store and make your choices from the 200 items available. Join forum discussions on: top-bar hives, honey marketing and legislation, beekeeping projects, organic certification; Bees for Development Safaris, and more.

Support Bees for Development Trust – give a donation by credit card or download your standing order and Gift Aid forms. Download a range of informative documents. Look at the Links, Communication Centre and information about Bees for Development. www.beesfordevelopment.org

NBU SOUTH EAST REGION UPDATE
This short newsletter is to bring you up-to-date with the distribution of confirmed foulbrood cases so far this season and some recent staff changes in the region.

BEE INSPECTIONS
Bee Inspectors are currently inspecting apiaries throughout the region. Since early April we have been mainly concentrating on visiting those that have been affected with foulbrood in the past year or so to see if the disease has reoccurred. However, we are now beginning to move on to visit apiaries in disease affected areas and other apiaries that we think are at particular risk or otherwise overdue for a visit.
So far this season in the course of our visits we have found European foulbrood cases in London (12 colonies, 5 apiaries), Surrey (9 colonies, 5 apiaries), West Sussex (9 colonies, 5 apiaries), and Kent (7 colonies, 4 apiaries). Further details of the distribution of these apiaries are given in the attached map and table. In addition, we have dealt with an unusually large outbreak of AFB in Surrey, affecting 14 colonies in 3 apiaries belonging to a single beekeeper.
This is a time of the year when colonies have expanding brood nests and as a result the signs of brood disease can be more easily easily recognised than at other times. Consequently it is a good idea for all beekeepers, especially those living in disease affected areas, to spend a few moments checking the brood of each of their colonies while inspecting them. No one wants to find disease in their colonies, but if one of your colonies has picked up an infection - for instance by robbing a diseased colony nearby - it is much better to find it now than to wait until it has spread to other colonies in the apiary. As ever, we would very much like to hear from any beekeeper who has any concerns at all about the health of their bees. We never mind visiting - even if the bees turn out to be completely healthy. Confirmed Foulbrood Infected Apiaries NBU South East Region 01/01/03 – 09/05/03 download 23KB pdf

SMALL HIVE BEETLE
This season bee inspectors are starting routine surveillance for the small hive beetle - an exotic pest of bees that it is feared could arrive in the UK from overseas. The NBU has recently produced a leaflet on the SHB to help beekeepers become aware of the problem. Contact your bee inspector for details, or download a copy of the leaflet from the NBU website http://www.nationalbeeunit.com

BEE INSPECTOR CHANGES
Following the retirements of Dennis Geoghegan and Trevor Davis since last season, we have recently appointed a new Seasonal Bee Inspector for North and East Kent. Bob Smith, who lives in the Medway area is currently undergoing training and within a week or two will start inspections. He can be contacted on 01634 721063. Bob joins our existing inspectors who are currently:

Alan Byham (West Sussex, East Surrey) Tel: 01737 217 409 Peter
Bowbrick (South London, West Surrey) Tel: 0208 648 6358 Nick Withers
(South and West Kent, East Sussex) Tel: 01883 722194

We still have a vacancy for another bee inspector that we are hoping to fill during the current season, and we would particularly like to hear from experienced beekeepers living in the South or West of our Region who are interested in the post.
Finally, I have to report that I am leaving my job as South-Eastern RBI following my appointment as National Bee Inspector earlier this month. My new role means that I will be managing the NBUs bee health inspection and training programme throughout England and Wales. However, I am not disappearing from the South East entirely as I will remain based at home in West London and so can be contacted by phone, post and email in just the same way as ever. In addition, I’m hoping to be able to spend a significant proportion of my time inspecting colonies as before. The NBU is currently recruiting a replacement RBI for the Region - in the meanwhile Alan Byham will be looking after things on my behalf. I’ll let you know of further developments as they occur.
James Morton National Bee Inspector, Central Science Laboratory - National Bee Unit Tel/fax: 020 8571 6450 Mobile: 07719 924 418 E-mail: j.morton@csl.gov.uk CSL website: http://www.csl.gov.uk National Bee Unit website: http://www.nationalbeeunit.com

THE NATIONAL HONEY SHOW
Honey Show Schedule and Programme of Events, 2003 This year’s show will again be held at Kensington Town Hall . The dates of this year’s event, which is the seventy-second show, are 13th, 14th and 15th November.

The schedule committee invites you to take advertising space in the 2003 Schedule and Programme of Events. Over 2,400 copies will be sent out to members, likely exhibitors and visitors to the show from this country and abroad, as well as all the major beekeeping associations and other bodies connected with the craft. We are pleased to announce that advertising rates remain the same as last year. Download this letter PDF 47KB

If you wish to take advertising space please complete the attached form and return it with your copy to me at the above address. The copy deadline is 10th June, but it would be helpful to have a reply from you at your earliest convenience in advance of this date.
There is no provision for colour advertisements in the schedule.

You can also have an advertising banner on the NHS website. The cost of this is £50 and arrangements should be made directly with our webmaster, Steven Turner, on 020 869 80313. E-mail st@zbee.com The good news is that when advertising in both the schedule and the website, both are subject to a discount of 15% off the prices below.

Schedule Web Banner Both (inc. discount)
Full page inside £149 £50 £169.15
Half page inside £84 £50 £113.90
Quarter page inside £44 £50 £79.90

David Charles Schedule Committee, Bickerton, Church Lane, West Pennard Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8NT Telephone & fax: 01458 831011 e-mail: d.charles@ukonline.co.uk

THE BEE PRESS

BEECRAFT
Beecraft May 2003 Volume 85 Number 5

The latest issue of Bee Craft offers a wealth of information, advice and items of interest for all beekeepers in its monthly columns. http://www.bee-craft.com/ The following is its contents list: Editorial, Swarms, swarms, swarms! Geoff Galliver, DJ Middleton, Ernie Chant and Jeff Griffiths; Getting started: May - the main swarming month; Swarm control Adrian Waring, NDB; Social wasps Michael Archer, PhD; Isenring's oxalic acid vapourizer Walter Isenring; Keeping bees inside Paul Mann; Why keep bees in a shed? Rod Saffery;Herbs for bees and beekeepers: chives Alison Mouser; David beats Goliath Mike Rowbottom; Caught out! Ian McLean, NDB; In the Apiary: children's bee books (1880-1910) Karl Showler; Ask Dr Drone; The Bee Craft fun page; The 'B' Kids; Classified advertisements; Calendar; Obituaries: Margaret Godfrey and Tony Rowse.

Bee Improvement and conservation Spring 2003 No.14. A publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association
www.bibba.com

Contents:
Swarming Rev. Eric Milner R.N.
Obituary - Harris Burry Albert Knight
Computer program for Morphometry Albert Knight
Further observations on drone assembly congregations Karl Showier
Galtee Bee Breeding Group-Annual Report Micheal Mac Giolla Coda
Raising, mating & making use of queens Freid-Karl Tiesler & Eva Englert
Why bother to breed the native bee? Ashleigh Milner

Bees for Development Journal 67 June 2003. A publication of Bees for Development www.beesfordevelopment.org

Contents:
Inside information
Simple ways to manage stingless bees
Practical beekeeping
Look & Learn Ahead
The Gorongosa hive
Project news from ICIMOD
Notice Board
News around the World
How does a bee colony function?
Bookshelf

Cover photograph
In Slovenia it is a tradition to paint the front of bee hives with rural scenes or legends © Bees for Development

ARTICLES

THE ICPBR BEE PROTECTION GROUP
This important but comparitively little known group has been meeting since 1980. It brings together experts from academia, industry and government to discuss all aspects of the hazards of pesticides to bees. The primary species for consideration has been the honey bee. Topics that have been considered have included testing methods; the monitoring of bee poisoning incidents; the impact of the varroa mite and its control, and effects on bee brood. More recently, the use of bumble bees for commercial glasshouse pollination has resulted in consideration being given to the assessment of hazards to this group as well, with the associated development of appropriate test methods.
As a technical forum, the expert advice provided by the Bee Protection Group has been used by the European Plant Protection Organisation in the development of its test guidelines for honey bees (No 170) and the decision making scheme for the risk assessment of plant protection products to honeybees. This in turn has formed the basis of the current recommended guidance for use in the regulatory decision making process for plant protection products in the EU. The test methodology has been developed in a sequential path from the measurement of lab toxicity to the assessment of effects under the more realistic conditions in the field. This approach is now used with most other groups of non target organisms and the work with honey bees has provided many useful lessons.
The bee protection Group works under the umbrella of the ICBPR and this larger organisation is described below.

International Commission for Plant-Bee Relationships (I.C.P.B.R)
This International Commission was founded in 1950, by Anna Maurizio (Switzerland), during a Botanical Congress in Stockholm. It was named the International Commission for Bee Botany (I.C.B.B.). In 1985, the Commission was renewed and its name changed to The International Commission for Plant-Bee Relationships (I.C.P.B.R.), which is better fitted to the objectives of the Commission.

The I.C.P.B.R. is one of the 82 scientific commissions of the I.U.B.S. (International Union for Biological Sciences) which is connected to the I.C.S.U. (International Council of the Scientific Unions). The I.C.P.B.R. is linked to the International Bee Research Association (I.B.R.A.) and it has been decided that the I.B.R.A. journal “Bee World” would be the official organ of the I.C.P.B.R.

The statutory structure of the Commission comprises
The General Assembly consisting of all the members
The Working Groups
The Council

The Council plays a prominent role in coordinating the Commission’s activities. This steering body of the Commission comprises the leaders of the working groups and three Executive Officers : the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman and the Secretary-Treasurer. Twelve other Council members are ordinary councillors, whose task is to contribute to the development of the I.C.P.B.R. by recruiting new members, representing the Commission in other scientific bodies and forwarding suggestions for changes or improvement of the I.C.P.B.R. functioning. They have to be active in a relevant area of bee research. They can be consulted by the Executive Officers. The Secretary, in agreement with the Chairman, supplies news of the Working Groups to all members of the Commission, through a yearly circular. She also reports to the I.UB.S. on the I.C.P.B.R. activities and edits a Directory once members have returned a yearly questionnaire (membership form) where they confirm their membership and references. The membership is free.

There are three Working Groups:
The Pollination Group
The Nectar Group
The Bee Protection Group

The working groups are freely organized. Their creation or suppression depends on the eligibility of the programme submitted to the Council and also on the leader’s vitality. Eight symposia were organised by the Pollination Group from 1960 to 2001 and 7 by the Bee Protection Group from 1980 to 1999, whereas the Nectar Group held specialised sessions during Pollination symposia or alternatively specialised meetings.

The General Assembly is held every 5-6 years during the symposium on Pollination because it is the opportunity to gather a majority of members. At this occasion the Council is renewed in a formal way and the Officers are elected by the Council members.
In addition to the Council members, 230 members from 40 countries were affiliated to the I.C.P.B.R. in 2001.

In 2002 the three Executive Officers are:
Chairman: Dr. Ingrid Williams
Plant & Invertebrate Ecology Division
Rothamsted
Harpenden
Herts, AL5 2JQ
U.K.

Vice Chairman: Dr. Ken Richards
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
Plant Gene Resources of Canada
Saskatoon Research Centre
107 Science Place
Saskatoon
Saskatchewan S7J 4E2
Canada

Secretary-Treasurer: Dr. Juliet Osborne
Plant & Invertebrate Ecology Division
Rothamsted
Harpenden
Herts, AL5 2JQ
U.K.

BIANNUAL BEEKEEPING CHAPTER ONE
Written by Ian Rumsey
This article contains graphics and text which has been converted to HTML using layers, only the latest browsers can translate (IE5+). You can view this article from a sub page Biannual Beekeeping or download a PDF version.

ISENRINGS VARROA-KILLER
Walter Isenring, Dorfstrasse 44, 3423 Ersigen
This equipment consists of a copper combustion tube through which oxalic acid vapour can be administered to the colonies. If preventive measures and basic conditions are considered, the direct administration of oxalic acid vapour has substantial advantages.

Procedure
A block of wood with a blind hole serves as a filling measure for the treatment of one colony with 3g oxalic acid. The hole is filled with 3g oxalic acid dihydrate, lightly pressed, and attached to the combustion tube. With the filling block attached to the tube the block is knocked lightly so that the powder falls completely down into the elbow.

The cold tube is easily warmed on the original side (with blowtorch for 2-3 minutes). Subsequently, the tube is slid into the flight entrance. The entrance is blocked with wet rags. The tube should be arranged sloping downward. See picture below. With the tube blocked at the end, it is now heated with the blowtorch for about three minutes so that the acid powder evaporates. After another three minutes the tube is withdrawn. The heated part is then cooled in cold water. The tube is again loaded and the next colony treated.

Protective measures
Use eye protection, breathing mask, and gloves. Do not enter any building where the vapour has been used for 2-3 hours. The Varroa screens can be replaced after about five hours.

Mode of Action
Steam condenses in a few minutes on bees, honeycombs, stores, and hive walls. With each movement of the bees over the condensate, for example in the case of movement of stores, they carry very small quantities of crystals on their feet. With the hive humidity, oxalic acid is active and corrodes the mites’ proboscis. The mites die of starvation after approximately 3 days and fall down. The treatment can be carried out at any time (in temperatures above 3 °C and without honey supers). The most favourable time is in the middle of October, because the colony is still a little active and in motion. This main treatment is essential. A treatment in October works as long as there are cleansing flights. In the autumn the colonies are not close clustered, otherwise the full effect of condensate would be lost. After about 14 days the cleansing flights are limited.

Advantages and conditions
• Very good compatibility with bees, no queen losses.
• The mites fall after 2 -3 days for up to 40 days and longer (depending upon the season).
• Temperature: if under 3°C do not treat. As far as possible treat when bees are not flying.
• Always treat without honey supers.
• With substantial re-infestation from infested apiaries in the vicinity the treatment can be advantageously repeated after approximately three weeks.
• No residues, neither in the wax nor in the honey, no resistance formed.

To purchase Collected: Fr 40 - Dispatched: Fr. 50. + postage — From Walter Isenring, Dorfstrasse 44,3423 Ersigen CH Telephone 0344452112.

By Ron Crocker, from Schweiz. Bienen-Zeitung 8/2002 1

(This looks like a tool that anyone could make for themselves. E.d.)

VARROA CONTROL USING DRONE BROOD TRAPPING
Continuing the theme of using softer methods to control varroa, this article shows that it can be done with drone traps. Unfortunately the research didn’t include an assessment of the potential loss of worker brood and therefore honey crop.
A small Argentinian experiment to assess the eficacy of using drone brood to trap varroa mites has confirmed results obtained by European beekeepers using this method. Argentina produces much organic honey and their controls on the purity of this honey are strict, their rules being very similar to those promulgated by the European Union*. Argentinian interest therefore in varroa control using non chemical treatment methods is high. Ten beehives were used to test the methods in an apiary near Bueno Aires. The effectiveness of the method depends upon the proportion of mites that invade the drone cells in the traps and this invasion is proportional to the existing relationship between the number of cells available to be invaded and the number of bees in the hive. In other words the effectiveness of the technique is related to the number of cells used to trap the varroa mites. The aim of this study was to determine the treatment efficacy using 3 frames of trap brood.

The method used was as follows:

Finaly, the total number of mites was counted, ie those from the trap frames and those killed by the acaricides and the eficacy of the drone traps was analysed statistically. The results showed an average of 87.4% eficacy 2.98 with a minimum of 82.32% and a maximum of 92.51%. It was observed that generally that the treatment was more effective the higher the infestation although this was not shown to be statistically significant.
*The European rules for organic honey can be found in the Council regulation (EC) No1804/1999 of 19 July 1999. The official Journal No is L222, 24/08/1999 P.0001 to 0028. This includes other organic farming as well so look for Annex 2, C. See: http://europa.eu.int

BOOK REVIEW

NOW AVAILABLE FROM IBRA
FORM AND FUNCTION IN THE HONEY BEE. Lesley Goodman. Pub. IBRA.

A couple of months ago, we carried an advance press release covering this new book by Lesley Goodman and published by the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) entitled Form and Function in the Honey Bee. The book is now available and I have received a copy (just before completion of this May edition of Apis UK) and am able to give some first impressions. First though what do the experts say? Three well known and well respected bee scientists have the following to say:

“ In comparison to man and other animals, and via a lucid but authoritative and scholarly text aided by hundreds of well chosen, informative, and often beautiful photographs, micrographs, diagrams and paintings, this book tells the reader how a honey bee smells and sees, respires and flies, feeds and defends. This is one of those rare books that can profit anyone, whether layman or beekeeper, research scientist or student, in its distillation of human knowledge on form and function in one of Earth’s best studied and remarkable animals.”
Francis LW Ratnieks Professor of Apiculture University of Sheffield, UK.

“ It is a gorgeous and important book. Gorgeous in its superb use of line drawings, SEM’s and original art work. Important in that it updates the classic books on honey bee sensory physiology by Karl Von Frisch. Rarely does one see such a beautifully crafted book. Leslie Goodman has given all of us interested in the behaviour and physiology of honey bees an amazing gift.”
Thomas D Seeley Professor of Biology Cornell University, USA.

“The book focuses on detailed descriptions of bee body parts and how they work, but the title is woefully inadequate to describe the magnificent photographs, drawings and paintings that adorn this book’s pages. I might have titled the book ‘Elegance, Beauty and Reverence’, because this is an astoundingly beautiful and evocative work of art as much as a scientific discourse about bee anatomy. Goodman’s ambitious dream was to write a book about bee anatomy that would be accessible to beekeepers, inexpensive and comprehensive. She has left us with a sumptuous visual legacy that weaves the microscopic photographs of Keith Pell with the opulant paintings and labelled diagrams of Michael J Roberts to make bee form and function easily approachable and deeply moving for any reader.”
Mark L Winston. Professor of Biological Sciences. Simon Fraser University, Canada.

Having only just received the book, I can only make general comments at the moment, but my initial impression is that I wouldn’t be without it. I will now read it avidly and compose a review from a beekeeper’s point of view for the June edition of Apis UK. A quick description can suffice for the moment. (Ed).

The book itself is 220 pages (240mm x 340mm) has 340 illustrations and takes a detailed, fascinating and sublimely accurate look at the honey bee. The antennae, compound eyes, dorsal ocelli, the response to gravity, feeding respiration, flight, glands and colony defence are all examined in detail in order to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of how the honey bee behaves.
Honey bees in relatively unchanged form, have been around for over 50 million years. cave paintings dating from BC10,000 depict the relationship between the human race and honey bees. This book offers the most comprehensive and readable explanation of these interesting and essential little creatures. No natural scientist, ecologist or beekeeper should be without a copy. More next month.
The price is: £25 Softback. £55 Hardback, plus a small charge for P&P. For further information please contact: IBRA, 18 North Road, cardiff, CF10 3DT. Tel: 0044 (0)29 20372409. Email:books@ibra.org.uk or look for details on the web site: www.ibra.org.uk

HISTORICAL NOTE

(Continued from the January edition).
The manner of making ‘Oyl’.
The manner of making this oyl is as follows: take of pure new yellow waxas much as will fill half your retort or body of glass; melt it on the fire and then pour it into sweet wine, wherein let it soak; wash it often and wring it between your hands; then melt it again and put it into fresh wine, and order it as before; this done seven times, every time putting it into fresh wine, then add to every pound of wax four ounces of the powder of red brick finely bruised, put it all together in your retort or glass well luted; then set the retort in an earthen pot, filling it round about and beneath with fine sifted ashes or sand, and set the pot with a body in it on a furnace, and so distil it with a soft fire, and there will come forth a fair yellow oyl, which will congeal in the receiver like pap when it is cold; if you should rectify this oyl by often distilling, it would be unfit for use. It is marvellous to behold, at the coming away of this oyl, all the four elements, the fire, air, water, and earth, at one and the same time in the receiver.
Such is the virtue of wax, both in its kind and altered by distillation.
Taken from: England’s Interest or the farmer’s friend, by Sir J. More. London. 1707.
(See the Jan edition of Apis UK for the wide range of uses of this oyl. E.d).

LETTERS

Hi David,
On Tuesday, 15th April, I, a beekeeper of 25 years, went to our local apiary to check over the hives prior to a beginner's meeting the following Saturday.

One hive we opened had wide and narrow top Hoffman frames, metal ended frames and one frame spaced by fingers. I objected to this and was told my comments were not required. Later we opened another hive and there was a zinc excluder with a wood frame round the outside, when placed back on the hive the middle of the excluder just about rested on the top of the frames.

At this stage I left the Apiary, not intending to return. The Apiary Manager holds all 8 modules of the BBKA exams and lectures at the local Agricultural College. he says a club apiary should have a variety of hives and have all the faults that are seen in member's hives.

Comments on this method of running a club apiary would be appreciated. I was trained in beekeeping by Ted Hooper and Clive de Bruyn, attending many course and find myself diametrically opposed to the above policy. John V Hayward
( Teaching new beekeepers is an important subject and there will undoubtedly be many different methods of doing so. I hope that readers will let us know their thoughts. Ed.)

Dear Editor,
Subject: Jan 2003 issue. In the Historical note, you said "(All this is most appropriate for the winter months, so next month 'how to make this oyl'. You will need, wax, plenty of sweet wine, some red brick powder, sand and some finely sifted ashes. Ed)." Was such a "recipe" published in a future issue? Karen D. Oland koland@staffingtech.com

The British Beekeepers Association Message Board Posted By: Erica Osborn <erica_osborn@hotmail.com> Date: Friday, 23 May 2003, at 10:31 p.m. Congratulations to Claire Waring. At the Beecraft Annual General Meeting held last Wednesday, Claire Waring was elected a President of Beecraft for the truly deserved recognition of the services she has given to the Beecraft magazine. Since taking over the Editorship Claire more or less single handedly reformatted the magazine to the extent that she reduced the production costs by half thus ensuring the magazines survival and its transition to full colour. Like me, I am sure you wish Claire hearty thanks for all the hardwork that she puts into the magazines production. Well done Claire

MORE BEEKEEPING COURSES 2003 UK

Organisation: Derbyshire Beekeepers Association
Venue: Broomfield Agricultural College, Morley, Derby
Course Title: Introduction to Beekeeping
Starting: 2nd August 2003. Runs for five weeks, 9.15 am to 12.30
Tutor: Margaret Cowley M. Sc., Cert. Ed.
Fee: £92 (includes Open College Network Certification fee)
Contact details: course@threeroofs.org.uk

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Event organisers are welcome to forward dates and details of their events to the editor (by e-mail) for incorporation on this page.

7–8 June 2003 - Sutton Coldfield (Warwickshire) Beekeepers Biennial Meeting. Speakers Adam Hart, David Charles, Bob Ogden, David Kelly and Pam Gregory. Demonstration of Dartington Long Hive. Saturday – Lecture, Demonstration and evening meal. Sunday Demonstration and Lectures with lunch available. Information from Ruby Smith on 0121 354 7548 or e-mail routh.family@lineone.net

July 10 - July 13 - 2003 CMAC 2003. The American Apitherapy Society's Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course - Los Angeles, California. A hands-on course in apitherapy for beginners and experienced apitherapists wishing to keep up to date. Starting with a reception the evening of Thursday, July 10 the AAS is offering their annual course in apitherapy. We hope to see you in Los Angeles! Sara Cornwall Executive Director American Apitherapy Society 1209 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583-2023 USA Tel: 914-725-7944 Fax: 914-723-0920 E-mail: aasoffice@apitherapy.org http://www.apitherapy.org

11-13 July 2003 - The Kent County Bees and Honey Show. Organised by the Kent Beekeepers Association in conjunction with Medway and Thanet Beekeepers Association. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Kent County showground, Detling, Maidstone. More information and show schedule from http://www.kentbee.com/kenthoneyshow03.htm

24-29 August 2003 - 8th International Congress of Apimondia. Ljubljiana, Slovenia. Slovenia is to host the 38th Apimondia beekeeping Congress. The congress will be held in the City of Ljubljiana and the congress invites the submission of papers. Details of subjects and more information can be found on : www.apimondia2003.com

20-21 September 2003 - WEST SUSSEX HONEY FESTIVAL. If any reader would like more information or a schedule of classes, please contact me, Roger Patterson at r.patterson@pattersonpressings.co.uk 01403 790637, John Stevens at ieem@compuserve.com. 01243 533559, or Entries Secretary Mrs Sue Cooper, Malthouse, Lower Street, Pulborough, Sussex, RH20 2BH. Woodbugs@pgen.net 01798 874061

22-24 November 2003 - 1st International Beekeeping Congress of CARI Louvain-la-Neuve
What Future For European Beekeeping?
The aims of this congress are to: analyze the situation of beekeeping in the European Union; estimate the importance of the present changes and the impact that they have on our way of beekeeping. The challenges to cope with are numerous (declines, quick evolution of genetics, new techniques of environmentally friendly beekeeping more friendly that involve less curing products, accession of new European partners (PECO), development of quality products, new products, the place of the honey bee in the environment). We must cope with these challenges if we want to defend and develop our way of beekeeping. During these two days we shall participate in debates based on several real examples presented by lecturers coming from several countries of the Union and from the PECO. A simultaneous translation to the French language is provided. An exhibition of posters showing the state of development of research in various subjects as well as an exhibition of new equipment will also be shown. It is possible to reserve a meal on the spot for those who want.

Provisional program
Saturday 22nd November 2003
THE HONEY BEE
09.00 Official Congress opening
09.20 Which bee for tomorrow?
12.00 Lunch
14.00 The honey bee in our environment
16.00 To an integrated way of beekeeping
Sunday 23rd November 2003
THE PLACE OF THE HONEY BEE AND BEEHIVE PRODUCTS BEEHIVE IN OUR SOCIETY
09.15 Reception of participants
09.30 The honey market
12.00 Lunch
14.00 Tracks for tomorrow
16.00 The honey bee in our society
16.40 Final debate and recommendations
Monday 24th November 2003 (optional)
Discovering Belgium
Optional tour: Bruges or Brussels.

Registration Fees
Before 31" August: 30 Euros (20 Euros for one day)
After 1St September: 40 Euros (25 Euros for one day)
After the 30th October: we cannot guarantee the provision of earphones for the translation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL CART asbl - Place Croix du Sud 4 B - 1348 LOUVAIN-La-NEUVE (Belgium) Tel: +32 10 47 34 16 FAX: +32 10 47 34 94 E-mail: info@cari.be http://www.cari.be

22-25 February 2004 - Apimondia Symposium on Tropical Beekeeping: Research and Development for Pollination and Conservation. Heredia Costa Rica More detail is available from: Isanchez@una.ac.cr

23-27 February 2004 - 7th Asian Apicultural Association Conference Los Banos College, Lagunas, Philippines. More information from: cleofas.cervancia@up.edu.ph

24th April 2004 BBKA Spring Convention and Exhibition

6-10 September 2004 - 8th IBRA Conference on tropical Bees: management and diversity. Ribeiro Preto, Brazil.

16th April 2005 BBKA Spring Convention and Exhibition

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